More and more women are getting creative during labor and delivery. I’ve heard of moms hiring professional photographers to capture to the birth of their new baby. Most recently, a Facebook friend provided status updates along with pictures throughout her ordeal.

“How as she able to go through all that pain while giving a play by play, as she welcomed her child into the world?” I thought to myself. But, then hit me! That’s not a bad idea. It’s a great way to provide family and friends with updates. It’s also a great way for any mom to document her journey toward motherhood.

I’ve made that pledge for both of my pregnancies. I’ve always felt that documenting the actual birth would serve as a nice family keepsake.

For my first pregnancy, I asked my OB if my husband could video tape the delivery (crotch shots and all). He said no, and would only allow still photography. I was a bit disappointed, but at least we were able to turn those pictures into lasting memories.

This time around I’ve been pondering different ways to capture the labor and delivery experience. Tweeting would be a great option. But, I’ve recently been thinking about Instagram updates. It would be quick, easy, and I could even post via other social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. There’s even a way to turn those posts into a book! I should preface by including that this is not a sponsored post.

It certainly would allow me to kill a few birds with one stone, and no one would be left out of the loop. Most importantly, it’s something that we’d have forever. The only problem would be figuring out how to update while in pain. I guess that’s what’s husbands are for.

Did you provide family and friends with labor and delivery updates via social media sites? Would it be considered too much information?

Stacy-Ann Gooden (aka Weather Anchor Mama) can be seen delivering the weather on the news week nights in New York City. But her most important role is being a wife and mom. She writes about balancing career and motherhood in her blog, Weather Anchor Mama. Be sure to check out her latest project, 30 Things My Kids Should Know About Me, and Pregnancy Diaries, as she counts down to the arrival of her second child. You can also follow her on twitter.

Recent posts

I find it a bit exhibitionist, personally, but to each their own. Then again, I’m not even on facebook anymore, so maybe I’m just not all into the mass communications. I can’t see myself speaking about my cervix, vagina, or dilation, or the location of my baby in the birth canal on twitter or in public. It just seems vulgar to me to make things so personal and medical available for mass consumption. That said, we definitely valued the videotape of our child’s birth, but only three very close friends have seen it. We’ll videotape this one again–even though its a hospital birth. I guess that’s how I deal with that question.

AYF

F no. Just no. Some moments are meant to be private. Plus, do you want your mom in law’s cousin who you aren’t keen on to know immediately that baby is on the way? Do you want strangers to see your vajay? Terrible idea.

Kate

I updated in the “hey we’re close to baby” kind of way but the women that discuss “hey doctor just checked me, broke my water and were at an 8!!” That’s a little much for me. 1. Some people don’t even know what that means and 2. Most people don’t care as much about you at that point, all they care about is meeting that baby! And unless that baby is here, keep the yucky details to yourself lol! And another thing, the nasty bloody goopy baby pics on Facebook, I didn’t even like seeing my own kid like that let alone someone else’s! But that’s just me 😉 I think this world has become too much of sharers and there still should be boundaries!

http://www.sign4baby.com Joann Woolley

I love these updates, knowing someone is about to welcome a baby into the world and sending them good vibes is what it is all about. I suppose I can understand some of the details being a bit much for people who have never ventured through the birthing process… but it is a beautiful process and meant to be shared!

Anchoragite

We were very private about our son’s birth. We did not even tell family we were at the hospital until after he was delivered. But I have enjoyed seeing friends Post that they are headed to the hospital and appreciated seeing pictures of new abides freshly washed and cuddled up with a proud new parent. The blow by blow of labor isn’t necessary though.

Sophie

Why is the birthing process meant to be shared?

Animals know enough to attempt to go off on their own.

Amanda

I think a Facebook status update saying you are on your way to the hospital and another one later announcing the birth are good enough. A play by play of the labor and delivery process is unnecessary.

Jlynn

I did not alert anyone other then those needed when I went to the hospital. I have seen too many people take a long time and everyone nags them the whole time if they are close. That would not of been too much of an issue for me as it would of said “just got to the hospital” then an hour later “had the baby.” Once family knew I did announce the arrival on Facebook but we told family personally.

Amanda

I wouldn’t. Maybe a quick we’re at the hospital, and an announcement later. But, for me, I was up all night in early labor so when I got pain relief I was in and out of sleep.

The birth process doesn’t always go as planned, so sometimes the less that know, the better.

Danny’s Momma

My husband and I used Livejournal to document it. We made a special baby journal on there and chose settings that would require us to approve a person if they wanted to be added to its “friend’s list”. We told friends and family about the journal so that if they wanted to be kept in the loop through the delivery they could go there. My husband updated it periodically (I had a very long labor, and in between the pain it was pretty boring so we had plenty of time). He posted the baby’s first pictures on there, with him all covered in schmootz, but put it under a “cut”, which means if they wanted to see the picture they’d have to click the link. If they DIDN’T want to see the schmootzy baby picture they wouldn’t be assaulted by it upon opening the journal.

It worked out really well for us and we were able to print it out without having to wade through any of our other non-baby related social media updates.

Bev

Not for me. Too exhibitionist/self important. I wouldn’t send any pics/facebook updates/tweets/etc. nor would I want to receive any.

Kirsten

Nope. We called our parents and siblings to let them know we were on the way to the hospital, and then turned off all gadgets until after the babe was born. Then there were phone calls all around to announce the birth, and a facebook update with the babe’s vital stats and a few baby pictures. There are not, and never will be, pictures of me during hard labor.

A childless friend of ours found herself in a middle of the birthing experience rehash between two very new mothers, and describes that conversation as the “best birth control EVER”. Exposing all of your friends/relations/acquaintances/friends of acquaintances/etc. to that same info, plus photos, via social media is probably way too much for most.

AS

Yeah, it is too much. I love me some Facebookin’, but it seems that people try to live way too much through technology than actually through their LIVES! Let the birth connect you with your family, take this time to focus, and you can always share your birth story with those close to you later.

Lauren

Whenever I see birth updates I think of a friend who told me about this women she knew who provided a play by play. Until Facebook went silent for days. And later she found out she passed. The idea of that was just too much. We actually kept my pregnancy off of Facebook. At first it was by accident than we figured we’d just surprise those who didn’t know with a birth announcement.

AS

#15 – That is a very good point. There is a lot that could still go wrong and you may end up inviting more people than you want into something that you suddenly wished had been private.

Anna W

Depends on the detail. “We’re heading to the hospital.” Or maybe a vague, “Things are going well baby should be here soon.” type update, and of course a birth announcement are fine if that’s what you want to do, but no medical details please.

Natalie

Yeah – details about dilation, water breaking, etc are totally unnecessary, in my opinion. TMI, for sure. All people need to know is that a healthy baby was delivered and mom is happy/healthy as well.

http://www.weatheranchormama.com Stacy-Ann Gooden

I may do some crazy things, but I would never post crotch shots of my baby coming out of my vagina. Now that’s private. If you check the history of all my social media profiles, you won’t find any of that. Those are kept in my private stash. Not even family members have seen them. However, I don’t see anything wrong with posting play by play (maybe once an hour) just to let people know how things are going. Instagram pics can be shots leading up to birth of me, hubby, family etc. Remember, we’re not pushing the whole time.

AYF

Something else you might not have considered: you are practically inviting unwanted visitors if you post a play by play. You are also telling crooks you aren’t home and to burglarize your house. Why? If your friend likes your photo or status others see and so on and so on. Don’t think I’m on to something? I am a criminal defense attorney and I’ve had cases where people were burglarized while at funerals/births. More than one.

Sandra

I think in the end it fulfills a certain need for a wider circle of attention and publicity that many women don’t have during the intimacy and importance of birth. But if you do have that need, and don’t mind your private details being aired a la Kardashians, I think its ok to meet that need. It’s your birth, and your friends, your body and info going public. I guess it would appeal to only a certain personality and I know I’m not it.

Katy Marshall

I find it to be more about personal preference. If it’s something the women feels she wants to do then who’s to tell her not to? I personally have quick labors (only one so far, pregnant with #2 currently) so I wouldn’t have the time or will to do it while pushing and in pain. But I know a few women that enjoy have video footage of the birth and/or photos taken during the process. I don’t care to see what’s going on down there and don’t really want anyone other than the doctor watching the whole thing either so it’s not for me but I do like to post via fb, after delivery, photos if the baby just born and share updates.

Liz

I dont see anything wrong with posting as much as you feel comfortable with. We would text my mom and she would either post a facebook status or send out a mass text message to everyone we loved. I think that social media is a great idea and way to keep people updated. I do agree that vagina shots of my baby coming out would be an absolute no or posting about the doctor breaking my water would be far too much for me! But pictures of family, friends, me, and the baby after is totally what we did! Plus, I was so excited that I wanted EVERYONE and their sisters to know that my little man had made it into the world. I love the idea, there are definately things I would do next time around that I didn’t do with my first pregnancy!

manderspanders

Seriously? I can’t believe I just read this article. All I can say to the woman who wrote it and others who believe anyone really gives a crap about the play-by-play of your birth experience is that if it ends up on my Facebook homepage, it WILL be submitted to STFU Parents. Perfect freaking example of complete oversharing.

I’m due in a few weeks. We’ll call my parents and my husband’s dad and brothers. Otherwise, no phone calls, no facebooking, no texts. When the baby comes, we’ll announce on facebook after everything has calmed down and we can find a suitable picture and send a text to a few close friends.

The process of your baby’s birth is really only special to you as a family. Document it privately if it is your desire to have a keepsake play-by-play to embarrass your child by as a teenager.

Michelle Nelson

It’s interesting how people can give doctors so much control in their own delivery photos. If you want photos or recordings in your birth experience then why even ask?? You hired the doctor to help with the delivery. He shouldn’t really get a say so out of it. Just a forewarning that its gonna happen.

katie

I’m with most of the rest. I had c sections with both of mine so couldn’t post labor updates but I wouldn’t have. Didn’t use Facebook much when my oldest was born. My youngest was a scheduled c section so I posted when it was scheduled. When things become delayed I posted to help vent my frustrations at having to go 15+ hrs with no food or drink. Then once we had a new set time I posted then put a pic with his height and weight when he was a few hrs old and we were settled. Had I delivered it probably would have been similar. A heading to hospital post then an after pic with details on baby a few hrs later. I did labor with my daughter and can’t imagine posting during that time and I wanted my husband focused on me not social media. I don’t wanna tell anyone outside fam and close friends the details nor do I wanna hear them from others. But it is nice to know when someone is heading to hospital so you can send them prayers and good thoughts

Kelly

Up-to the minute updates on where I am in labor is a little too much info for me to share with all my friends, family, and complete strangers. While I was bored when I was in labor, I was in a little too much pain to give a shit about updating people on my status. Also, the only reason anyone knew I was at the hospital waiting to give birth was because my man and I needed someone to come grab my stepdaughter.

Liz s

I had my daughter before the time of Facebook and there is exactly one picture of me in labor and two of my daughter after she was born in the hospital. My son was a scheduled csection there are pictures on Facebook but in an album for close friends only and I made one announcement and that was after he was born no play by play no gadgets in the room other than one digital camera we choose to document the entire process because for severe medical issues he was to be my very last child ever

B

No. I didn’t even call family when we headed to the hospital with our first, and only did with the next because I needed someone to watch my oldest. I find the FB updates to be a bit much. It’s just too much, and as excited as I am about the baby coming, I don’t need to hear that the baby is crowning and you’re about to start pushing. TMI. Just post pictures when the baby arrives.

If you want to document for later, that’s great, but online is just over-sharing. Birth is such a special moment, and IMO, private. It needs to be fully experienced, enjoyed, and how can that be done while updating a FB status or tweeting? It takes you out of the moment. Not to mention – think about all the people that you’re friends with. They don’t all need or want to know that you’re getting prepped for a c/s or your water just broke.

Shelby

We updated on our sons but our daughter who was born two weeks ago (4 weeks early) we called a few family members to let them know but waited to a few hours after she was born to announce on Facebook

vic

I don’t care its totally up to the parents. Sophie, animals go off because they don’t want their babies or themselves attacked by other animals…not quite the situation humans are in.

Johanna

I think that its something that should be shared with your partner at that moment and take on the full experience of what birth is rather than making my facebook status update every time I get a contraction . I think later when everything has settled down I can send pictures about the baby and stuff but deff not during the birth !!!!

Natalie

To each their own. It’s such a wonderful moment and the excitement can start to blur your privacy boundaries. The people that care will read it and those who don’t care will scroll past it. I posted a “first family photo” as the announcement on the day but nothing before bc I didn’t want people showing up at the hospital.

Manda

My friends kept asking so I started posting an “I’m still pregnant” update every day that my second child was overdue. Once we were at the hospital I posted “I’m still pregnant but not for long.” And once he was born we did an update with his stats and a picture.

Michelle Campbell

I just gave birth on Monday and I used Facebook to let everyone know what was happening. My partner and I thought it would be easier as so many people wanted to be informed and delivery came so fast we didn’t have time to tell everyone.

Heather

I LOVE reading about these updates on my family and friends, but I personally wouldn’t do it, not because of TMI, but because I find that when I spend too much time on social media, sharing special moments, it distracts me from fully enjoying and sharing it with the people that are actually present in the moment with me…and that’s a big sacrifice.

Jessica

While in labor for my first ( now 6) we had the father, his mother, my mother, my sister ad my step father. This wasn’t what was agreed but over barring parents with me focusing on breathing meant I had an audience I didn’t want. :/ My second delivery was an emergency c section so thankfully the doctors wouldn’t allow anyone in. Now on my third ( 14 weeks in) and he wants to Vidio tape the whole thing!!!! How horrifying!!! Makes the idea of making a few status updates ( pictures excluded) seem less of a big deal.

No Name

@vic – have you read about some of the mother-in-laws on BBC’s DWIL?

Julius

To each their own. I wouldn’t do it, because that’s just not my personality.

Hot Topic

Note: This is a fun post spoofing a popular series on one of my favorite technology blogs. The boy scouts have a motto “always be prepared.” My son doesn’t know that because he is 3. But he does like to be prepared in case an adventure (or a 30-minute ride to his grandparents house) presents… Read more »